Sheffield Council could run city's social housing

The running of council homes across Sheffield could be taken over by the local authority to save money.

Sheffield City Council is proposing that Sheffield Homes, which currently manages properties on behalf of the council, could be managed in-house.

Harry Harpham, cabinet member for housing regeneration and planning, said it would remove duplication and make savings.

Over 42,000 council homes are currently managed by Sheffield Homes.

Sheffield City Council's cabinet is due to meet on 19 October to discuss proposals, with the recommendation that the management be brought back to council control.

'Make savings'

Sheffield Homes was created in 2004 by the council when local authorities across the country were requested to bring homes to a set standard.

More than a thousand members of staff from the council transferred to Sheffield Homes.

Seven years on, the council is now reviewing who manages the city's council homes as the Sheffield Homes contract expires in March 2014.

Mr Harpham said: "We think we can make some financial savings by not having what is in effect a standalone organisation that has its own management costs, its own accommodation costs and back office costs."

If the council was to take over the management of the properties, a consultation with its 48,000 tenants and 2,100 leaseholders would take place before any decisions were made.